§ Lord Borrieasked Her Majesty's Government:
When the response to the Government Panel on Sustainable Development's Third Annual Report will be published.
§ Baroness HaymanThe Government's response to the Third Annual Report of the Government Panel on Sustainable Development has been published today. We are pleased that we have been able to respond positively to many of the panel's recommendations. The panel is a valuable source of advice for government in the achievement of sustainable development, an issue which this Government have pledged will be at the heart of all policy-making. We wish to express our gratitude to the Convenor of the Panel, Sir Crispin Tickell, and his 113WA colleagues for their continued commitment to helping to identify new sustainable ways of enhancing the quality of life and prosperity for everyone.
Examples where the Government have been able to respond positively to the panel's recommendations are:
on subsidies: action is being taken to see whether the objectives of subsidies are compatible with sustainable development;
on aviation fuel: the Prime Minster pressed for action at the UN Special Session in June;
114WAon climate change: the Government have set the pace internationally on targets for reducing carbon dioxide emissions;
on environmental education: the Government have announced a new Environmental Education Panel, under the chairmanship of Sir Geoffrey Holland; commissioned the Council for Environmental Education to draft a code of good practice; and provided additional resources for the Environmental Action Fund;
on housing and land use planning: the Government are looking at ways of using fiscal incentives to meet environmental objectives.
I am placing copies of the response in the Library.